The US Army's 75th Ranger Regiment is testing a prototype of a new litter that could carry soldiers from the battlefield on the back of either an Infantry Squad Vehicle or MRZR Alpha. (Janes/Meredith Roaten)
Soldiers are prototyping two equipment add-ons for the US Army's Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) and Polaris MRZR Alphas as part of the service's new manoeuvre technology accelerator, service officers told Janes on 7 February.
Prototypes for a communications protection module and a medical litter are designs conceived by soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment. Soldiers came up with ideas for both pieces of technology, and engineering students at Auburn University, Alabama, were able to build out prototypes in 8โ12 months through the new Maneuver Innovation Lab at Fort Moore, Georgia, Captain Connor Grant, senior communications officer for the 3rd Ranger Battalion, told Janes in an interview during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the lab on 7 February.
The final Mission Command Integration Module (MCIM) product is expected to be delivered in April 2025 followed by the final MRZR litter system product in May 2025. For the medic capability, the litter can be stowed when not in use to reduce signature or depending on the needs of the medic. Having a litter system that can extend the tactical vehicles' capacity for casualties helps increase survivability, according to the 75th Ranger Regiment.
MCIM was inspired by the army's service-wide effort to become more expeditionary, Capt Grant said. The modification to the truck bed of the MRZR Alpha uses a 3D-printed, shelf-like structure to protect a communications/network stack, radios, and batteries while a satellite terminal rests on top of the structure.
โNot only will this increase soldier survivability, but it also increases the lethality for our soldiers on the ground,โ Capt Grant said.
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